Glossary | acrylates

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Acrylic resins represent the largest category of polymers used in the coatings, adhesives, inks and finishes industries. Based on acrylate and methacrylate monomers, they provide excellent durability and weather resistance, gloss retention, and excellent adhesion, abrasion and thermal resistance characteristics. They are widely used in water-borne, solvent based, powder and radiation-cured technologies.

Acrylate Copolymerization Reactivity Ratios

The “reactivity ratio” of acrylic monomer pairs is the most important parameter in determining the compositional architecture in standard free-radical copolymerizations. Published data provides reactivity ratios for common monomers used in copolymerization. Using published reactivity ratios and feed compositions of the contributing monomers allows calculation of the final copolymer compositional distribution. When reactivity ratios differ, heterogeneity exists in the copolymer compositions.

Acrylic Adhesives

Acrylic elastomers fall into two categories of thermoplastics, ethylene acrylate copolymers (AEMs) like EEA copolymers and all acrylic copolymers (polyacrylates), often based on ethyl acrylate copolymers. Tg’s are usually well below room temperature. They are widely used in the automotive industry, seals & gaskets, construction and roof coatings. The acrylic elastomers exhibit good oil and fluid resistance, weatherability and high temperature resistance.

Acrylic Elastomers

Acrylic elastomers fall into two categories of thermoplastics, ethylene acrylate copolymers (AEMs) like EEA copolymers and all acrylic copolymers (polyacrylates), often based on ethyl acrylate copolymers. Tg’s are usually well below room temperature. They are widely used in the automotive industry, seals & gaskets, construction and roof coatings. The acrylic elastomers exhibit good oil and fluid resistance, weatherability and high temperature resistance.

Acrylic Emulsions/Latex

Acrylic emulsions and latex are water borne, environmentally friendly systems with total resin solids levels of ~50-65 %. Emulsion resins are prepared by polymerization of acrylic monomer stabilized in water with surfactants or protective colloids. The emulsion/latex are easy to handle, apply and clean-up, easy to formulate with low VOC contents and are in low hazard. Modern emulsion systems exhibit enhanced durability, high gloss, abrasion resistance, adhesion and excellent weathering properties. They are used in industrial and architectural coatings, adhesives, inks, textile finishes and a myriad of other applications.

Acrylic Ink Binders

Acrylic resins are used as binder components in flexographic, gravure and screen printing inks, and as overprint coatings. Acrylic resins contribute to good pigment dispersion, excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates, UV, temperature and abrasion resistance, and resistance to greases, oil and water. Anionic, acrylic and styrene acrylic ink vehicles are used in both solvent and water based liquid inks. Functionalized acrylic oligomers are also used in UV and EB cured inks.

Glass Transition Temperature, Tg

For polymers, the Tg is the temperature at which the polymer transitions from a hard and glassy state to an elastomeric, soft and viscous state, when increasing the temperature. This transition is reversible, in that the material will return to its hard and glassy state when cooled below the Tg. Depending on the application, polymers are used at temperatures below the Tg (e.g. in paints and coatings) or above the Tg (e.g. in pressure sensitive adhesives). The Tg of an acrylic resin can be predicted from the Tg contributions of the individual acrylate monomers. The Tg influences many properties including surface properties, flexibility, hardness, Minimum Film-forming Temperatures, etc.

Minimum Film-forming Temperature

The Minimum Film-forming Temperature of an acrylic latex is the lowest temperature at which the emulsion system uniformly coalesce and form a continuous film. For architectural paints, the MFT is generally formulated to be below 5 °C. In industrial applications and inks where high temperatures are experienced, the MFR can be higher. MFT’s are influence by the Tg of the polymer, the emulsion particle size and formulation, such as the incorporation of coalescent agents.

Solvent Based Acrylic Resins

Solvent based acrylic resins are used in coatings, adhesives and ink. They can be basic acrylic copolymers or crosslinkable systems based on moisture cure, diisocyanates, melamine, epoxy and other types of crosslinking agents. Solvents include butyl acetate, butanol, isopropanol, toluene and xylene. Solvent based acrylic systems are known for excellent durability, weatherability and good appearance characteristics.

At Gantrade Corporation, we offer a broad line of high-quality monomers for acrylic resins, serviced by knowledgeable professionals. Contact us today for a consultation to discuss your needs for acrylate monomers and other chemical products.